Gar-coupling



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

CHARLES F: MOlVLL, OF EAST OAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,559, dated March 31, 1891.

Application filed anuary 16, 1891. Serial No. 378,009. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. MowLL, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Car-Coupling, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to car-co u plin gs; an d the Object of the same is to effect certain improvements' in draw-heads having open sides.

To this end the in vention consists of a d raW- head constructed as hereinafter more fully described and clained, and as illustrated on the sheet of drawings, wherein- Figure l is a perspective View of my improved draw-head. Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section thereof with a link in place.

In draw-heads of this character it very often happens that it is sought to couple the cars after the draw-heads have been brought together either while the cars are at rest or while they are moving. The link is retained in one draw-head by the pin and haugs out of the Opening in one side of the draw-head. The brakeman raises the pin in the other draw-head, throws the link around its pin and into the slot beneath the raised pin, and then drops the latter; but experience has proven that it Very often happens, when the coupling is to be done, that there is considerable haste, owing to the 'fact that the cars are movingor are about to be moved. In such cases it often happens that the brakeman throws the free end of the link with such force that it passes under the raised pin and out the other side of the draw-head, which, being out ot' his sight, is unobserved. Hence when he drops the pin and hurries out from between the cars he thinks they are coupled, but they are not. It is to overcome this well-k'own objection to the use of open-sided draw-heads, which are otherwise highly effective and useful, that I have made the present invention. Referring to the said drawings, the letterB designates the draw-bar, and D the drawhead, the latter having the nsual vertical hole for the pin P. Transversely through this draw-head is cut an Opening O, which is as deep at the sides of the draw-head asit is at its center directly in rear of the pin, and preferably having a vertically-fiaring mouth M.

Coming now to the present invention, the letterRdesignates a rccess cut in the bottom of the Opening and of the same size as or a little larger than the exterior of. 'a link L. The operation is practically the same as above described; hut the addition of the recess R scrves two important functions, viz: If the link be hanging on the pin shown in Fig. 1 and extending out through one side of the draw-head, when this link is thrown around toward the front or into alignment with the draw-bar it will be Obvious that the sides ot' the link will strike the edges of the recess and drop thereinto; orif thelink be hanging on the pin in a draw-head (not shown) and its free end be swung around into the drawhead here illustrated it will be Obvious that this free end, when it reaches a correct position, will drop into the recess R. where it belongs, and when the pin afterward descends it will 'pass directly through the link, as is desired. This recess can he formed in the draw-head when it is cast or forged and will detract from rather than add to the cost of manufacture.

I do not desire to be limited to the precise details of construction, nor to the use of any particular materials, the principal feature of my invention being the recess R.

What is claimed as new is- In a car-coupling, the cornbination, with a draw-head having a vertieal* pin-Opening, a transverse Opening entirely through the d rawhead intersecting said pin-Opening, and a recess in the bottom of said Opening, of a pin passing ve'tically through said pin-Opening and a link of a size to fit in said recess and to project beyond the end ol' the draw-hcad as and for the purpose hereinbetore set forth.

In testimony that I elaim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OHARLES F. MOWLL.

\Vitnessesz A. S. C. SAUNDERS, JAMES A. RICE. 

